US6059646A - Apparatus for portioning food - Google Patents

Apparatus for portioning food Download PDF

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Publication number
US6059646A
US6059646A US08/989,644 US98964497A US6059646A US 6059646 A US6059646 A US 6059646A US 98964497 A US98964497 A US 98964497A US 6059646 A US6059646 A US 6059646A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
tube
food mass
cutting
crimping
feed
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Fee Related
Application number
US08/989,644
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English (en)
Inventor
Johannes P. J. Bindels
Gerardus F. J. Leenen
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Marel Meat Processing Inc
Original Assignee
Stork MPS BV
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
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Publication of US6059646A publication Critical patent/US6059646A/en
Assigned to TOWNSEND ENGINEERING COMPANY reassignment TOWNSEND ENGINEERING COMPANY ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: STORK MPS B.V.
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

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    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A22—BUTCHERING; MEAT TREATMENT; PROCESSING POULTRY OR FISH
    • A22C—PROCESSING MEAT, POULTRY, OR FISH
    • A22C11/00—Sausage making ; Apparatus for handling or conveying sausage products during manufacture
    • A22C11/02—Sausage filling or stuffing machines
    • A22C11/0245—Controlling devices

Definitions

  • the invention relates to an apparatus for portioning a food mass, comprising:
  • This apparatus of the prior art is used to encase a meat mass for purpose of producing sausages.
  • the feed means are formed by a pump and the channel is formed by a telescopic tube system. Displacement of the meat mass through the channel takes place by a combined action of a pump and telescopic tube system.
  • Fixed to the tube system is a cutting device which makes a cut through the meat mass. During a return stroke of the telescopic tube the casing is filled with meat mass.
  • the clamping device fixed to the telescopic tube is situated at the location of the cut, where the clamping device arranges a clamp or clamps without being obstructed by sinews or other tough pieces of meat mass, thus forming a front and rear part of a sausage.
  • the size of the portions is determined by the stroke length of the telescopic tube as well as by the diameter of the telescopic tube. Modification of at least one of the two parameters is necessary in order to adapt the size of the portions. This requires a complex conversion of the apparatus involving considerable cost, particularly due to loss of production capacity. For this reason it is not possible to portion portions of different sizes in a flexible manner. The need herefor is however becoming ever greater.
  • the invention now has for its object to provide a solution for the specified drawback.
  • control means which are arranged in order to control the feed means and the cutting device such that the distance between successive cuts made in the food mass is adjustable.
  • the necessary reciprocal movement of the telescopic tube system entails relatively long transport times.
  • the possibilities of speeding up these transport times are limited in respect of the mechanical load caused by the mass inertia of the cutting and clamping device mounted on the tube system and in respect of safety requirements.
  • the production capacity is hereby limited.
  • the apparatus is moreover of complex construction, in particular due to the telescopic tube system and the cutting and clamping device moving therewith, which has a negative effect on the cost price and the reliability of the apparatus.
  • the telescopic tube system also increases the risk of accumulations of contaminants whereby the tube system must be provided with seals and high demands are made of the frequency and quality of the cleaning of the tube system.
  • the channel is arranged in stationary position according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.
  • the feed device has an adjustable feed rate. This results in an even better and more precise portioning option, in that flow profiles in the meat mass can be adjusted in a controlled manner.
  • an encasing device is arranged along the path downstream of the cutting device for arranging a casing round the portioned food mass. It will be apparent that this is important in the first instance for making a casing round types of sausage, for which use can be made of an encasing device for making an already existing casing, for instance of natural skin, or for which use can be made of a so-called co-extrusion device which produces a more or less rigid casing from a plastic material.
  • An encasing device is understood to include not only the arrangement of a casing in the above stated sense, but also the arranging of a casing in the form of for instance a can around larger pieces of meat, such as in the canning of ham or pieces of ham. It also occurs that pieces of ham are packed in a casing of plastic foil. The word encasing includes all of these concepts.
  • a crimping device is arranged downstream of the encasing device for crimping food mass, for instance in manufacturing standard sausage types.
  • a clamping device is arranged on the path downstream of or coinciding with the crimping device for arranging a clamp on the crimp arranged by the crimping device, for instance for manufacturing liver sausage.
  • Two clamps are then usually arranged simultaneously, i.e. one clamp to make a closure of the previous sausage and another clamp to make a closure at the beginning of the subsequent sausage.
  • the measures according to claim 8 can be of importance for the making of sausages with a short length.
  • the present invention provides an apparatus, comprising means for determination of said property of the food mass, the means being positioned after the channel, and in which the control means are adapted co control the cutting apparatus also in dependence of said property.
  • control means comprise a memory which is adapted to store the value of the property and a calculator for calculating the correction factor from said value.
  • the present invention also relates to a cutting device for severing a food mass situated in a channel, comprising a cutting blade which extends substantially perpendicularly of the axis of the channel and which is movable substantially parallel to itself, wherein the cutting blade is formed by a plate provided with at least one hole.
  • the invention further relates to a method for portioning a food mass, comprising the following steps of:
  • FIG. 1 shows a partly schematic view in lengthwise section of an apparatus according to the invention
  • FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view along the line II--II in FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 3a-e show schematic views in lengthwise section of the apparatus in diverse stages.
  • FIG. 1 Shown in FIG. 1 is a cube designated as a whole with 1, which is formed by a cylindrical part 2, a conical part 3 and a cylindrical part 4 of smaller diameter. These tube pieces 2,3,4 are together fixedly mounted on a feed device (not shown in the drawing) for feeding meat mass through tube 2,3,4 in the direction of arrow 5.
  • a feed device not shown in the drawing
  • the tube piece 4 is connected to a flange 6 on which is mounted the cutting device, designated as a whole with 7. Further arranged opposite flange 6 is a flange 8 which is connected to a tube piece 9, which is connected at its free end to an only schematically designated crimping and clamping device 10.
  • Encasing material 11 is arranged in pressed together in concertina form around the tube 9.
  • a separate device is arranged which is not shown in the drawing. This can be formed by an extrusion device, so that the casing 11 is extruded round the meat mass leaving the free end of tube 9, although it can likewise be formed by a device which intermittently, i.e. after the crimping and removal of an encased meat mass unit, arranges a new quantity of casing 11 around tube 9.
  • the cutting device 7 is formed essentially from a housing which consists of two plates 12,13 and which is connected by means of bolts 21 to flanges 6,8. On the other side the plates 12,13 are mutually connected by a clamping device 14.
  • a shaft 16 mounted in plates 12,13 by means of a bearing 15 is a shaft 16, on which a knife blade 17 is fixed.
  • a motor 18 This motor can be formed by an electric motor, a hydromotor or a pneumatically driven motor, depending on the technique further used in the apparatus in question.
  • Knife blade 17 is provided with two holes, only one of which is shown, namely 19. Knife blade 17 is driven in rotation such that both holes 19 of knife blade 17 are placed alternately in alignment with tube 1. During the relevant movement the knife blade 17 performs a cutting movement.
  • a quantity of meat mass 20 is fed from the meat mass feed device in the direction of arrow 5, passing through tube 1 as far as knife blade 17, as shown in FIG. 3a. This movement is continued until meat mass 20 has reached knife blade 17.
  • the knife blade 17 then executes a cutting movement in order to cut off the meat mass; when the machine is set into operation this is essentially superfluous. The operation is only shown for the sake of clarity.
  • Knife blade 17 thereafter rotates further until the other aperture 19 of knife blade 17 lies in alignment with the tube 1.
  • the meat feed device is controlled such that the meat mass is pushed further along.
  • FIG. 3c This situation is shown in FIG. 3c.
  • the movement is continued until meat mass 20a is situated in the space between knife blade 17 and the crimping and clamping device 10, whereafter the crimping and clamping device 10 is activated and crimps the meat mass and clamps the casing closed.
  • a clamp is herein arranged round the casing at the position of the constriction.
  • the knife 17 is subsequently re-activated and this knife makes a cut between the meat mass 20a and the following meat mass 20b, whereafter the whole cycle is continued.
  • the length of the pieces of meat mass is always the same as the longitudinal distance between knife 17 and the crimping and clamping device 10. This is the result of the fact that the cutting, crimping and clamping operations take place simultaneously.
  • the apparatus When for instance shorter pieces of meat mass are made, the apparatus will be controlled such that once the desired length of meat mass has passed through knife 17, the knife is actuated again.
  • the crimping and clamping device will have to be controlled synchronously and subject to the adjusted length.
  • the tube 9 is followed by a balance for measuring the weight of the first portion flowing from the tube.
  • the signal from the balance is conducted to the calculator which is not depicted in the drawings and which besides comprises a memory.
  • the calculator which is not depicted in the drawings and which besides comprises a memory.
  • the signal is compared with the required value and a correction factor is determined with which the portion volume of the apparatus is amended.

Landscapes

  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Zoology (AREA)
  • Food Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Processing Of Meat And Fish (AREA)
  • Meat, Egg Or Seafood Products (AREA)
US08/989,644 1996-12-13 1997-12-12 Apparatus for portioning food Expired - Fee Related US6059646A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NL1004765 1996-12-13
NL1004765A NL1004765C2 (nl) 1996-12-13 1996-12-13 Inrichting voor het portioneren van voedsel.

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US6059646A true US6059646A (en) 2000-05-09

Family

ID=19764040

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US08/989,644 Expired - Fee Related US6059646A (en) 1996-12-13 1997-12-12 Apparatus for portioning food

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US6059646A (de)
EP (1) EP0847695A1 (de)
CA (1) CA2224843A1 (de)
NL (1) NL1004765C2 (de)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6666759B2 (en) * 1998-09-04 2003-12-23 Metalquimia, Sa Method and device for stuffing meat product sealed by stapling
US20100047400A1 (en) * 2008-08-21 2010-02-25 Sara Lee Corporation System and method for forming a co-extruded food product
US9380804B2 (en) 2012-07-12 2016-07-05 The Hillshire Brands Company Systems and methods for food product extrusion
US10952444B2 (en) 2008-08-21 2021-03-23 The Hillshire Brands Company Systems and methods for providing a food product with additives

Families Citing this family (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ES2164505B1 (es) * 1998-09-04 2003-10-01 Metalquimia Sa Metodo y dispositivo para embutir materias carnicas cerradas por grapado.
ITMN20000007A1 (it) 2000-01-31 2001-07-31 Inox Meccanica Srl Dispositivo in macchina porzionatrice-insaccatrice di carne per il collegamento con macchina clippatrice
ES2171133B1 (es) * 2000-11-17 2003-12-16 Ind Fuerpla S L Procedimiento y dispositivo para dosificacion automatica y en continuo de masas carnicas.
DE10247230B3 (de) * 2002-10-10 2004-02-12 Schröder Maschinenbau KG Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Abfüllen von Lebensmitteln in Därme
DE102018126234A1 (de) * 2018-10-22 2020-04-23 Heinrich Frey Maschinenbau Gmbh Vorrichtung zum Abgeben von pastösem oder zähfließendem Gut

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3480449A (en) * 1969-03-03 1969-11-25 Gwaltney Inc Method for providing stuffed food casings having flattened ends
US3716891A (en) * 1970-02-12 1973-02-20 Linker Machines Frankfurter separator mechanism with cutter sensor device
US4417434A (en) * 1981-10-26 1983-11-29 Ludwig Piereder Methods and apparatus for producing encased meat and meat for encasing
US4565054A (en) * 1983-10-06 1986-01-21 Ludwig Piereder Meat packaging apparatus
US4709450A (en) * 1987-01-13 1987-12-01 Teepak, Inc. Apparatus and methods of stuffing food casings to provide dimensionally uniform products
US5083970A (en) * 1990-01-31 1992-01-28 Albert Handtmann Maschinenfabrick Gmbh & Co. Kg Method and a filling machine for producing sausages by dividing a sausage string
US5131884A (en) * 1991-03-28 1992-07-21 Bermel Industries, Inc. Cutting assembly for separating linked meat products

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
NL7114628A (de) * 1970-11-05 1972-05-09 H Niedecker
EP0061995A1 (de) * 1981-03-26 1982-10-06 C. Hoegger & Cie. AG Portioniereinrichtung für Wurstmasse
DE3339274C2 (de) * 1983-04-20 1985-11-21 MEICA Ammerländische Fleischwarenfabrik Fritz Meinen GmbH & Co, 2905 Edewecht Portioniervorrichtung
DE4040696A1 (de) * 1990-12-19 1992-06-25 Frey Heinrich Maschinenbau Fuellmaschine fuer grossstueckige fleischteile

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3480449A (en) * 1969-03-03 1969-11-25 Gwaltney Inc Method for providing stuffed food casings having flattened ends
US3716891A (en) * 1970-02-12 1973-02-20 Linker Machines Frankfurter separator mechanism with cutter sensor device
US4417434A (en) * 1981-10-26 1983-11-29 Ludwig Piereder Methods and apparatus for producing encased meat and meat for encasing
US4565054A (en) * 1983-10-06 1986-01-21 Ludwig Piereder Meat packaging apparatus
US4709450A (en) * 1987-01-13 1987-12-01 Teepak, Inc. Apparatus and methods of stuffing food casings to provide dimensionally uniform products
US5083970A (en) * 1990-01-31 1992-01-28 Albert Handtmann Maschinenfabrick Gmbh & Co. Kg Method and a filling machine for producing sausages by dividing a sausage string
US5131884A (en) * 1991-03-28 1992-07-21 Bermel Industries, Inc. Cutting assembly for separating linked meat products

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6666759B2 (en) * 1998-09-04 2003-12-23 Metalquimia, Sa Method and device for stuffing meat product sealed by stapling
US20100047400A1 (en) * 2008-08-21 2010-02-25 Sara Lee Corporation System and method for forming a co-extruded food product
US8945643B2 (en) 2008-08-21 2015-02-03 The Hillshire Brands, Company System and method for forming a multi-layer extruded food product
US10952444B2 (en) 2008-08-21 2021-03-23 The Hillshire Brands Company Systems and methods for providing a food product with additives
US9380804B2 (en) 2012-07-12 2016-07-05 The Hillshire Brands Company Systems and methods for food product extrusion
US10716320B2 (en) 2012-07-12 2020-07-21 The Hillshire Brands Company Systems and methods for food product extrusion

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0847695A1 (de) 1998-06-17
NL1004765C2 (nl) 1998-06-17
CA2224843A1 (en) 1998-06-13

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AS Assignment

Owner name: TOWNSEND ENGINEERING COMPANY, IOWA

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:STORK MPS B.V.;REEL/FRAME:014078/0304

Effective date: 20030401

REMI Maintenance fee reminder mailed
LAPS Lapse for failure to pay maintenance fees
FP Expired due to failure to pay maintenance fee

Effective date: 20040509

STCH Information on status: patent discontinuation

Free format text: PATENT EXPIRED DUE TO NONPAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEES UNDER 37 CFR 1.362